Abu Dhabi Pro Trials San Diego: Results/Keenan Cornelius Black Belt Debut

From Friday, September 21, 2012 - on my blog - wow.

Back when Keenan Cornelius jumped up to brown belt, I posted about the suicide watch for brown belts as Keenan was on an absolute tear. Interestingly enough, he's now a black belt/faixa preta.

Despite not winning the absolute brown belt (*ahem* Miyao so and so), Keenan has moved up to black belt with the help of Atos and Galvao.

Since then, he's made his debut at the Abu Dhabi Pro Trials.

 

"

The big name of the event was Keenan Cornelius, which was in his first ever competition as a black belt.
Keenan came into the new rank with a bang and submitted all his four opponents, both in the -207lb division and the open class.
In the weight division, Keenan first beat Morris Ayala and then choked Gustavo Pires from the back in the final to secure his free pass to Abu Dhabi.
In the absolute, where $1,000 were at stake, Keenan again had two matches.
First he choked Eliot Kelly from the back and then caught Magid Hage IV with an armlock from the closed guard."

As for some others who punched their all expenses paid trips to Abu Dhabi:
"
Male Black belt
-141lb – Samir Chantre (Caio Terra)
-167lb – Osvaldo Moizinho (Caio Terra)
-180lb – Carlos Diego Ferreira (Atos)
-207lb – Keenan Cornelius (Atos)
+220lb – João Assis (Check Mat)"